Rail anchor



Nov. 11', 1930. PRESTON 1,781,191 I July 2. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a I 4Eugenia 1 2 Mam I fl fms Patented Nov. 11, 1930 UNITEDSTATES PATENTorries Y FREDERICK A. rnnszron, or LAKE nonnsr, ILLINOIS, Ass enoaTo'rnn'ra M cont PANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINoIs,

A coliromrronon ILLINOIS RAIL ANCHOR Application filed July 2,

This invention relates to rail anchors and has for its object to providean improved onepiece rail anchor having rail ripping means whichembraces the base of a railroad rail and maintains its hold on the railby reason of a combination of a plurality of gripping engagements.

A more specific object is to provide a rail anchor having an under railportion and inwardly projecting jaws, one of which is so formed as toexert a spring grip both vertically and transversely of the rail andwhich is adapted to be flexed in applying the anchor to permit the otherjaw to be hooked over the upper longitudinal corner of the base at theopposite side of the rail.

Another object is to provide an arrangement of rail gripping surfaceswhereby a strong shackle grip transversely of the rail is effected whenone end of the. anchor is pressed against a cross tie. In thisconnection the invention contemplates a construction in which the railgripping members, when in their normal gripping position on the rail,are spaced'from each other a distance less than the width of the railbase, whereby one end of the anchor serves as a lever arm to rock therail gripping members into said shackle gripping engagement with therail.

Another object is to provide an anchor of the above character in whichthe transverse spring grip produced by a reflex action transversely ofthe rail of previously distorted parts of the anchor. The invention alsocontemplates a combination transverse spring grip, one component ofwhich is produced b'yadirect reflex action of a resilient part of theanchor as above noted, and the other component of which is produced by avertical reflex action of the spring jaw exerting its'pressuredownwardly against an inclined surface of the base. A further object isto provide, in an anchor of the above general type, a jaw constructionhaving a rela- 1 tively large range of flexing limits without impairingits holding qualities. A still further and more specific object is toprovide an improved rail anchor in which one jaw bears against the webof the rail and the other jaw hooks over the upper edge of the 1928.Serial No. 289 831.

base at the opposite. side of the rail, the dis tance between said jawsbeingsuch that they are spread apart when in their normal ap pliedposition on a rail so asto exert transverse spring pressure directedagainst the lower portion of the web of the rail and against onevertical edge portion of the rail base. In this connection the inventioncontemplates the provision of a jaw, portion in the form of a hook inwhich the hook end provides a tie abutment which extends downa ward asubstantial distance from the bottom surface of the rail base. l j

The invention has for a still further object such other new and improvedconstructions hereinafter described and claimed for carrye ing out theabove stated objects and such other objects as will appear from adetailed description of the embodiments shown inthe ac cornpanyingdrawings. I a 1 c The invention is illustrated in two specificembodiments in the accompanying drawings wherein: p Fig. 1 is a planview of the base portion of a railroad rail showing a rail. anchorconstructed in accordance with this invention applied in its operativeposition on the rail base and bearing against the cross tie on which therail is supported. Fig. 2 is a side view of the railanchor deviceshowing one position which itassume Fig. 5iis a side viewofamodifiedlform of the invention showing the anchor, inits fully appliedposition, the base portion of the rail being shown in section. I

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figs; 1 to 4; inclusive of thedrawings con sists preferably of a single bar of resilient metal bentto'provide an under-rail portion" 10 and formed with arelatively largehooked end" portion 11 which embraces the base flange 13at one'sideofthe rail and bears at the extremity of the hookagainstthe lower.

6' portion of the web 14 of the rail. The other surface of the jaw 11and theupper'surface" V of the rail base flange and to also provide aend of the bar is formed, with a smaller hookedend 15"which is adaptedto be sprung overthe upper longitudinalcorner of the rail base when theanchor is in its fully applied position. The bend'16' formingthe largejaw Ilifis, preferably so formed as to providea substantial clearance 17betweenth'e under versely of the rail Without'coming into con tact withthe vertical edge 18 of thera'il base. The saidbend 16 also extendsdownwardlyf'fro'm the base flange of the rail so as to provide'asubstantial tie-abuttingpor- 3o I I as indicated in Fig. 2 of thedrawlngs. 7

. this position the short jaw l5 is positioned .tion indicated by thereference character 19 f adapted to bear against thehvertical facejofthe cross tie at one end of the anchor. In applying the anchor device tothe bas-e portion of therail the hook end or 11 is firsthooked over oneedge of the base flange E Y under the basezfiange at thewopposite sideof the rail. Byapplying pressureto the bend 16, this portion of theanchor; is flexed so as to provide an efiective lengthening of 7' theunder rail portion 10 and thereby permits the small 15 to clear the edgeof thelrail and snap by the resiliency of the metal into spring:grippingengagement with the upper corner po'rtionof the base flange. When thedevice is in its fully 'appliedposition the extremity 20 of the'j aw '11bears against the side face of the web 14 otthe rail at a pointadjacenttherailbase, the lower corner of the jaw 11 being rounded tofitthe curved PO11? tion of the base at its juncture with the verticalweb 14. The flexing action of the hooked end 16- during theapplicationof'the anchor to the rail is such thatiwhen theanchor isapplied :thereflex action oithe bend 16 exerts 1 a transverse springpressure against the web 14 of'therail and againstthe edge and uppersurface of the rail base at the oppositeside of the frail. There is alsoa transverse springgrip produced by reason ofthe downward mba-se; Thetie abutting'portion 19, extending a substantial distance below thelower surpressure of the jaw '11 on the inclined upper surface 13 of therail base and the bearing of the upper-portion of the under, rail por-ftion 1O againstthe bottom surface of the rail face Oftherail base bearsfirmly against the bottom surface of the rail. 1 The extremity of thejaw 11, it'will be noted, bears against the upper inclined surfaceoftheirail base.

at a 'point disposed a substantial distance inwardly from the bottombearing point 21' thereby providing a. rocking action about alongitudinal axis tending to force the bottom or under rail'portion' 1 0firmly againstthe bottom surf-ace of the rail jnot only 'a t the. Vpoint 21 bu-t'als o at the point 22 adjacent the small hook end15, Thejaw 15% resists any 1 tendency that the downward pressure of the bendJ19 againstthefballast' of the roadbed may have to inipar't a reverserocking movement abo'utthe point 21. The posit on of the large bend16relative to the extremity. 20 of the jaw' ll and the bearing surfaces ofthe hookend 15 form in effect a leverarrn which,

when the cross't ie extendsdiagonally across the said base, bearsagainst the CIOSS'tlG adjacent one edge of the rail base whereby thecreeping force exerted against the tie through the hook end 16 tends toexert a strong shackle grip on the web 14 and the longitudinalfedgeportions of the flange 23 of the rail.

stantiallythe same in construction andoper- I In Fig. 5 a modifiedembodiment is shown in which the jaw end 11"? and the jaw end at k theopposite edge ofthe rail base are'subation as the corresponding {membersof the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 4: inclusive.

The modified construction, however, ispro- VlClGCl with a downwardlybowed portion 24 between the bottom bearings 21?, 22 of'the anchordevice so as to providea tie abutting surface extending substantiallyacross the bottom surface of the rail base which extends a substantialdistance downwardly from the rail. The said tie abutment, by; itsengagement with the cross tie. 25;will convert any.

longitudinal pressureon the rail into a shackle gripping action ofth'eanchor device on the top and bottom surfaces of the rail base so asto add to the gripping force heretoits fore described. Thedownwardlybow-ed portion24 provides also an'arcwhichrelieves the bend'16of a substantial-portion of the flexing strain produced when the anchoris subjected to the shackle grip'transversely ofthe rail.

That is to say when the extremities of the jaw Y 11* and jaw 15areforced into shackle gripping engagement with the weband edge portion, respectively, of the rail base. 7 In other respects the embodimentshown in Fig. 5 may be and preferably-is the sameas that sl1ow'nin-Figs. 1"to tinclusive of the drawings. y Y Y 1 'While the inventionisdescribed in connec-l tion with two specific embodiments, these embodiments will readily suggest other modi'fie cations to personsskilledin this. art. It will be understood therefore that the invention is notto be limited to the specific constructions shown and described exceptinsofar as the a claims are expressly'limitedi' Iclaimz A TitlliIIlCljQIcomprising an under rail end of said under rail portion adapted to bearagainst the edge portion of the rail base at the opposite side of therail.

2. A rail anchor comprising a bar for extending across beneath the baseofa rail, jaw means at one end of the bar for engagement with the topface of the rail base at one side of the rail, and gripping means at theother end of the bar for engaging the top and bottom surfaces of therail base 'at'locations spaced inwardly from the edge thereof and forhearing against the verticalweb of the rail. 7

3. A rail anchor comprising a bar formed at one end with a j awforengagement with one edge of the rail base and provided at the other endwith hook portion extending around the opposite edge-of the rail basewithout gripping the marginal portion thereof but bearing against thevertical web of the rail, whereby pressure applied longitudinally of therail against said hook end of the anchor effects a shackle grip of saidjaw and the extremity of said hook upon the edge of the base and thevertical web respectively of the rail.

4. A rail anchor comprising a bar formed at one end with an inwardlyprojecting aw for engagement with one edge of the rail base and formedat the other end with a relatively long hook portion extending aroundthe opposite edge of the rail base without gripping the marginal portionthereof but bearing against the vertical web of the rail, wherebypressure applied longitudinally of the rail against one end of theanchor effects a shackle grip between the extremity of said hook andsaid jaw transversely of the rail.

5. A rail anchor comprising a bar for engagement with the bottom surfaceof the rail base, formed at one end with a small jaw for engagement withthe top face of the base flange at one side of the rail and formed atthe other end with a hook portion adapted to be forced into springgripping engagement with the top and bottom surfaces of the base flangeat the other side of the rail and into gripping engagement with thevertical web of the rail, the bend of the hook being relatively large:and adapted to flex to permit engagement of the small jaw with the edgeof the rail base. i

6. A spring meta-l rail anchor comprising a bar for hearing against thebottom of the rail base, formed at one end with a hook portion adaptedto be forced into spring gripping engagement with the top and bottomsurfaces of the rail base and formed at the other end with a jaw adaptedto be snapped into engagement with the topsurface of the rail base bythe reflex of saidhook portions.

7 A spring metal rail anchor comprising a bar for bearing against;thebottom of a rail base, formed: at one .end with a hook grippingengagement with the top and. bottom surfaces of the rail base and formeda tthef other end with a jaw adapted-"to be snapped into engagement withthe top surface of the rail base by the reflex of. said hook" portion;the said hook being formedwith clearance adjacent the edge of therailbase anda'dapted to bear against the web of the rail wherebymovement of one end of the anchor relative of the rail in-a directionlongitudinally of the rail effects a shackle grip of the :device on theweb of the rail and one base flange thereof. i

8. A rail anchor comprising a bar extend-. I

ing across beneath the rail 'base'and bowed downwardly intermediate itsends to provide spaced bearing surfaces for'engagement with the bottomsurface of the rail base adjacent the opposite longitudinal edgesthereof and to form a tie bearing face which ex tends. a substantial.distance below the bottom surface of the rail, one end of the bar formedwith a-Yjaw which cooperates with one of said bottom bearingsto grip thetop portion. adapted to be forced =intosp'r'ing and bottomsurfacesof-the rail'base at one I side of the rail andformed at theotherend with a hook shaped portion providing a downwardly bowedtieabutting portion ad jacent. the end of the anchor and providing alsoaninwardly projecting jaw for bearing against the upper inclined surfaceof the rail base and the vertical web of the rail, the, distance betweenthe extremity of said hook and said first mentioned jaw being normallyless than the distance between the surfaces engaged thereby, whereby thesaid 6X? tremity of the hook and the said jaw exert spring pressuretransversely of the rail when the anchor is in its applied position.

9. A rail anchor comprising a body provide'd at one end with a baseflange embracing hook whichbears at its extremityupon the fillet betweensaid flange and the vertical web ofthe rail, which hook includes adownwardly extending tie abutting portion ,pro viding a substantialclearance between the hook and the bottom marginal surface of the baseflange embraced, means at the other end of the body for embracing theother edge of the rail base, providedwith a por tion overlying theupper. corner of said edgeto prevent upward pressure exerted againstsaid tie abutment from displacing said edge engaging means. v

10. A rail anchor comprising a body provided at one endwith a baseflange embracing hook which bears at its extremity upon the filletbetween said flange and the vertical web of the rail, which hookincludes a downwardly extending tie abutting portion providing a'substantialclearance between the hook and the bottom marginal surfaceioo other sideofthe-railgwhich shoulder is sopositioned relative to the:endf'of, said hook} Oriana: base flange embraced, a shoulder a;

' the other. end ofthe body for engaging the vertical edge portion ofthe rail-base at the that it is necessaryto-dis'tort' a'portion or" the.anchor in forcing the shoulder to its. ap-

V pliedposition; and means for preventing upward pressure'exertedagainst said abutment 11v" p cin said shouldeii- I I formed at oppositeends vwithrailrengag-ing rail anchor comprising a b ody ,means whichwheniin their applied positions exert a spring grip diagonally throughthe base portion-of: the railyone' of said means being formed to providea tieabuttingipora I tion'which extendsdownwardly a substantial distancebelow the bottom surface' of theyra-il base and the other of said meansbeing provided with a portion overlying the upper-corner of the railbase to prevent displacement of said-last named. means during I pressureagainst the {presence of upward said tie abutting portion.

formed at opposite ends with rail engaging means which when in theirapplied positions exert 'aspring grip diagonally through the base fromthe'fillet-between the base and V lower-corner ofthe baseat theother-side of .the rail, one of said means being formed to provide a tieabutting portion which e-X- l tends downwardly a substantial distancebefi =35 the other of said mea'ns being provided with f 'neath thebottomsurfa'ce of the rail base and 13. A rail anchor comprising va bodyits fully applied positionlfl 4 1 '12. A 'rail anchor. comprising a bodytransversely ofthe rail in" forcing the "an? chor transversely of the,rail'to its normal grippingposition, the extremity of said hook being,formed to bear against the verticalweb of the rail when the anchor is in1 5 A rail anchor ,for'application-ito j a' rail 7' by; movementtransversely of the rail'rfrom one side thereof andcomprising a" bodypor-' tion provided at one end L with; means for engaging over theupper; corner portion" of the rail base flange at one s de of .the railand provided at theotherend with a rela tively long resilient hookportion formed to l V provide clearance betweenyth'e inner face of, thehook and the -a'djacent edge of the rail base and. formed; at theextremity of the hook with abearingfsurface which is forced bytheresiliency of the anchor into gripping engagement with the ,verticalwebo-f' the rail. 1 p v l FREDERICK vAVPR-ESTO N.

vertical web at one side of the rail to the. i

formed at o'pposite ends with rail-engaging l means'which when-intheirapplied positlons exert a spring grip diagonally through the baseportion of the; rail,one; of said means being formed to provide a tieabutting portion which extendsdownwardly asubstan- I tial distancebeneath the bottom surface of a the rail base, and the other ofsaidmeans 7 I andpositioned relative to the other parts ofbeing'provided with a portion so formed the anchor as topreventdisplacementof said last named means during the presence of upwardpressure against said tie abutting 'portion.

1 1i Af rail anchorcomprising abar hav ing a portion for hearing againstthe bet- 1 tom surface of the. rail and formed atone end with a grippingmeans for engaging over the upper corner portion: of the rail p baseflange at one side of the rail, and

7 formed at .the other end with a resilient.

hook portion for. embracing "the rail base: flange at; the other side ofthe rail'and adapted/to be 'flexed both verticallyand

